There’s no need for any artificial strawberry flavoring here! Not only are there strawberries in the cupcake batter, but there are also strawberries in the frosting, so every bite is full of real, fresh strawberry flavor. Want another eye-catching and irresistible strawberry recipe like these beautiful pink cupcakes? Try my strawberry cheesecake recipe, strawberry rolls recipe, or strawberry shortcake recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Leavening agents — make sure your baking powder and soda are fresh and not expired. It will help lift the cupcakes. Butter — buy unsalted butter as you will add measured salt to the batter. Be sure to bring the butter to room temperature, where it is soft enough so your finger leaves a dent when you press into it. It will be challenging to beat the butter into a smooth and creamy consistency if it’s cold. Sour cream — I recommend using full-fat sour cream to add the most moisture and flavor. The acid in the sour cream also tenderizes the strawberry cupcakes so they’ll melt in your mouth. Sour cream also adds thickness to the batter to prevent the chopped strawberries from sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes as they bake. Milk — again, don’t use the low-fat version. Whole milk will give you the best flavor and add moisture. Strawberries — strawberries do not continue to ripen once picked, so when you buy your strawberries, pick the reddest ones to get the sweetest strawberries for the best flavor. Powdered sugar — if you’ve run out of powdered sugar, see my guide on how to make powdered sugar.
How to Make Strawberry Cupcakes
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until very light and fluffy.
Stir together the sour cream and whole milk in a measuring cup and set aside.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated before adding the next, scraping down the bowl in between. Beat in the vanilla.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add a third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, followed by half of the sour cream mixture. Repeat, alternating between the flour and sour cream.
Beat the chopped strawberries into the batter.
Add food coloring if using.
Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake one pan at a time for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan, then remove the cupcakes and continue cooling on a wire rack.
Make the frosting by beating the butter and salt on medium speed until very creamy and pale. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the powdered sugar and strawberry puree until fluffy combined before adding the vanilla. Increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy and very spreadable, then transfer to a piping bag. Pipe over the cooled cupcakes.
Garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake that will yield dry and dense strawberry cupcakes. The best and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off. If your flour is lumpy, sift it beforehand. Sifting will also help aerate the flour to yield lighter cupcakes. Bring the eggs to room temperature to ensure they incorporate into your batter evenly. If you forgot to take your eggs out of the fridge ahead of time, you could quickly bring them to room temperature by placing them in a large bowl with warm tap water for 5 minutes. Bake the cupcakes one pan at a time in the middle of the oven, so they bake evenly. If you don’t have any extra berries to puree, you can use strawberry jam or preserves in the frosting. A few drops of pink food coloring will give your strawberry cupcakes a beautiful pink color. You can add some to the frosting as well.
How long do these cupcakes keep for?
Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature without the garnish for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 1 week. Garnish them with the sliced strawberries right before serving.
How do I store them?
Keep the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge. If you do not have a large enough container for the frosted cupcakes, you can place the cupcakes under a large overturned bowl. Bring the cupcakes to room temperature before serving. If you are concerned about squishing the frosting, leave the cupcakes unfrosted until ready to serve.
Can I freeze these cupcakes?
Unfrosted cupcakes freeze wonderfully. Once cooled, transfer them to a baking sheet to freeze, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Store for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting and serving. If you’ve tried this Strawberry Cupcake recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
